Humans mutated by Tiberium are commonly called ‘Shiners’ for the radiating Tiberium crystals growing on their skin. However, ‘Shiner’ is actually a derogatory term to which the mutants ‘retaliated’ by introducing the term “Blunts” for non mutants. This helped widen the already significant social gap between mutants and humans. Contrary to popular belief, the stability of a mutation is not determined by pure chance, but by a complex set of genetic traits. Most earthly creatures have one universal ancestor and thus all of these living beings share at least some genetic traits. For some reason, Tiberium induces extreme levels of mutation in earthly carbon-based lifeforms. Beings are completely transformed beyond recognition over a the course of months, weeks or even days. It does not end well for all of them. If the infected creature does not have the genetic defect that has been identified as the “p493 complex”, it will violently begin to reject the mutation, which will result in the entire body inevitable succumbing to INCT, instant necrotic cellular transformation, better known as a visceroid mutation.

The P493 complex.

A variant of the p493 complex is present in roughly 45% of the human population and has somehow remained unnoticed by modern medicine until Tiberium research was started. This anomaly is now understood to be the cause of stable Tiberium mutations in humans and is very similar to the newly discovered defects in other carbon-based earthly lifeforms that survive the contamination process. The defect is a very complicated trait; it is partially fragmented. It’s all over the human junk DNA, but suffice it to say that this is what keeps Shiners from turning into Visceroids and the lack of it that causes some people to do just that, even after what appears to be successful infestation. The immunity systems of infants cannot cope with Tiberium’s invasive properties, so they have a much higher chance of surviving Tiberium infection; many cases have been documented in which infected infants (especially in the case of an in utero infection) that did not even have the p493 complex survived and successfully mutated. Several studies on its effects on both growth and aging have revealed that Tiberium Riparius contamination appears to slow down aging by more than a 70% and increase growth rates in toddlers by about 30%. This remarkable feat is surpassed if the test subjects are infected with Tiberium Vinifera, in which case aging almost seems to cease completely and growth is accelerated by a staggering 120%.

Benefits of Tiberium mutation.

Supposing one survives the initial mutation or does not die of any associated complications, all cognitive systems are fully retained after contamination and the infected human actually benefits from Tiberium’s enhancing properties. Among these is superhuman power: enormous strength, agility, dexterity, endurance, lung capacity etc. but also regenerative capabilities. No matter how serious the wound, bar severe trauma to the brain, heart and lungs, the infected will always show surprising recovery speeds when exposed to tiberium. It is widely believed that wounds regenerated by tiberium simply fill up with crystals, but obviously that is not the case, otherwise it wouldn’t be much of a healing process. Mutant wounds cover up exceptionally well and fast with a very tough crystalline collagen-like substance. This layer is temporary however, as tiberium exposure triggers the production of totipotent cells in the subject’s bone marrow (they make their way to the damaged tissue in order to fully restore it) which eventually leads to a greatly increased amount of regenerative abilities that far exceeds those of any known creature from before the tiberium disaster. Seeing shiners always have at least some degree of tiberium infestation in their body, a minor regenerative boost will always be present. Forgotten warriors sometimes cover themselves in Tiberium-based war paint in order to increase this effect.

Effects of varied Tiberium strands.

As the intensity of the Tiberium radiation increases, it rapidly becomes more hazardous to uncontaminated humans, increasing the risk of INCT. It has not been scientifically proven that Tiberium Mortifera is incapable of providing humans with stable mutations, but so far no subject has lived past the countless INCTs. Blue tiberium however is a more difficult subject. Its radiation intensity and properties are just about enough to grant a human with an unusual and highly stable mutation when exposure has been minimal. Vinifera mutants are very rarely seen as most encounters with blue tiberium end in an INCT. Vinifera Forgotten soldiers fortunate enough to tell the tale are often nicknamed “Ravagers” and praised for their skills, which are unusual, even among shiners. Mutants can of course also be hybrids, some have even been shown to change primary Tiberium type during lifetime, something the forgotten humorously call “colour shifting”. Even though it has only been around for less than half a century, Shiner culture has already come up with customs and “traditions”.

Human / Mutant adaption after Tiberium infection.

Any human infected with Tiberium grows a bit in proportion, mainly due to the strengthening of osseous tissue making up the bones and the formation of a network of plates under the epidermis that essentially form something like an exoskeleton. The growth of many organs, especially the lungs and the heart is required for survival and many people with congenital heart defects have seen recovery after infection. The respiratory organs in mutants are altered in such a way they can cope with the increased amount of fine Tiberium dust and micro organisms in the atmosphere, so there is a larger amount of macrophages that clean up the alveoli as well as having new carrier proteins roaming the pulmonary surfactant to clean up any stray tiberium particles or break down any tiberium growths in the lungs and transport them to the bloodstream. In addition to that, mutants are capable of breathing “contaminated” air, in which part of the oxygen has reacted with Tiberium.

Human mutations greatly differ from any other mutation processes in earthly organisms because it is extremely invasive, but doesn’t mutate people beyond recognition. However, physiologically seen, the bridge between humans and mutants is a very thin one to start with and as time passes it slowly starts to break down altogether, but they still remain psychologically similar. Mutants are completely incapable of reproducing with non-mutants. Early studies suggested that all mutants would inevitably die of tiberium-related complications, or experience INCTs at some point in life, but recent observations have shown that when presented with a habitat sufficiently infested with Tiberium, mutants will slowly reach a stable state that practically enables them to live a normal and even extended life in proper health without risk of any complication. This poses significant problems to GDI’s restoration efforts, as the affected zones they are attempting to clean are usually inhabited by mutants._________________QUICK_EDIT

...though...the prospect of the baby that's still in the womb of a Mutant mother is...unsettling. If the baby mutates into a Vis..._________________Please, read the signature rules of the forum.QUICK_EDIT

Excellent piece of story. I like the idea how GDI and mutants are facing a wall between each other; GDI is determined in returning the planet to its state before the incursion of Tiberium, but doing so they will risk the lives of the mutated population._________________QUICK_EDIT

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